Former IndyCar driver Wheldon crash in a perfect storm

Las Vegas
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The remains of the fire at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Sunday left several injured and one driver, Dan Wheldon, a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, dead at the age of 33 years. Wheldon leaves a wife and two sons.

According to reports from CBSNEWS, Lyn St. James, a former Indy Driver and sports Rookie of the Year in 1992, said the accident was the result of a "perfect storm."

IndyCar crash: Drivers had safety concerns.

According to Today World News when asked on "The Early Show" about the commentary for CNN, said,"There was no one thing that either caused it or created it. It was just this multiple number of things that, if it had not all come together, I don't think it would have had that result. ...You (had a) one-and-a-half-mile track with 34 cars on it, which we run 33 at Indy, but we also run that at a two-and-a-half mile track. ... Las Vegas is very wide and has high banking.

"Early Show" co-anchor Jeff Glor pressed St. James on the number of drivers in the race -- were there just too many?

"We get in the cars and drive them to the absolute maximum. At those speeds, with that number of cars, you don't have the time to react but, at the same time, you know, I think that additional element I think added to the perfect storm."

Wheldon, St. James said, will be remembered as an ambitious, unique champion.

"He had a lot of dreams, a lot of vision and a lot of passion for what he wanted to yet to accomplish, but at least he was able to accomplish some of those by winning Indy twice and winning championships and being the great person that he was," she said.